The Inside Line Podcast - Vital MTB

Available Episodes

5 of 308

How Long Should Bikes Last? - Bikes: Unaffiliated Ep 2
In episode 2 of Bikes: Unaffiliated, Jason Schroeder, Lars Sternberg and Shawn Spomer discuss the evolution of mountain bike technology, focusing on the durability of bikes and components. They explore the expectations riders have for bike longevity, and the importance of community feedback in shaping technology. The conversation also touches on maintenance practices and the balance between cost, weight, and durability in bike design. They delve into the evolution of mountain biking, focusing on suspension setups, the impact of e-bikes on component durability, and the importance of understanding rider skill levels. The crew discusses the challenges of navigating suspension adjustments, the significance of bearing technology, and the lifecycle of bike components. They also dissect where to spend money when building a durable bike.Chapters00:00 Introduction, What's In/What's Out14:10 The Evolution of Mountain Biking Gear18:28 Tires and Tubeless Technology: A Game Changer23:43 The Balance of Durability and Performance29:00 Expectations on Bike Longevity34:05 The Future of Mountain Bike Technology45:20 Dynamic Forks and Rider Preferences48:23 Sensitivity to Suspension Setup51:27 Skill Levels and Equipment Accessibility52:16 Understanding Compression and Adjustments54:29 E-Bikes and Durability Challenges58:17 Headset Issues and Innovations01:03:36 Durability in High-End Bikes01:12:14 E-Bike Technology and Future Considerations01:17:38 Understanding Bike Longevity and Maintenance01:19:41 Investing in Bike Parts for Durability01:22:51 Building a Bike: Prioritizing Components01:26:01 Injury and Its Impact on Riding01:26:10 Choosing the Right Bike and Brand01:29:40 The Lifecycle of Bike Parts and Consumer Expectations01:36:49 Engaging with the Cycling Community
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1:38:06
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1:38:06
What's It Like to Release a New Bike Product? - Bikes: Unaffiliated Ep 1
Join Vital's own Jason Schroeder and Shawn Spomer, along with industry veteran Lars Sternberg, as they discuss the gripping topic of launching new bikes and their embargoes. Why do we have embargoes? What goes on behind the scenes of a new product launch? Are embargoed launches still impactful? How do brands and media make a splash on embargo day to give riders something to get excited about?Vital MTB's new podcast show— bikes ≠ unaffiliated, is our spot to chat about bike-related topics that aren't necessarily focused on current events, racing, or covering the latest-greatest tech. It's not a space for interviews, but rather for having a conversation about things we find interesting.
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1:24:43
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1:24:43
Follow-Up - Post-Downtime Markus Flossmann Interview
Jeff Brines follows up our "We Discuss YT" podcast with his thoughts after listening to the Markus Flossmann interview on the Downtime podcast. Jeff also notes corrections made in our original show after learning information shared in the Downtime pod.Discuss more with the Vital community
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9:18
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9:18
We Discuss YT
Discuss this with our community on Vital MTBWe’re back with The Inside Line, BS edition where we talk about the business and economic side of the mountain bike industry with Jeff Brines and Charlie Sponsel.Today is a discussion about YT Industries and the company’s recent turmoil of going through administration, shutting down and then re-opening just the other day. Because they went through the administration process, Jeff was able to pull out company information to analyze that we don’t usually get to see from bike brands.Please understand we’re not providing any financial advice, and as we’ve noted in the past, these topics may be a discussion of curiosity and interest to us, but real people have been impacted by everything we’re talking about. They may have lost jobs, they may be out thousands of dollars. At no point are we trying to make light of any of these situations. Additonally, we have no way of actually knowing the hearts or motivations of anyone involved in the topics we discuss, so we do our best to look at the data and report on stories we’ve heard regarding the situation.Topics Discussed0:00 - Intro1:22 - History of YT (note: Bentonville Mill was opened in 2024, not 2019)16:38 - Disclaimers19:27 - Restructuring/Bankruptcy Timeline26:55 - Markus Flossmann’s Instagram Q&A Replies30:44 - Is Markus a Sole Proprietor Now?32:46 - Difference Between Debt and Equity38:16 - YT’s Interesting Debt41:48 - Did Big Spending Catch Up with YT?47:09 - What About YT USA?53:39 - Did the Change to In-House Bike Assembly Crush YT?1:00:27 - How Will YT Have to Operate Now?1:06:11 - YT and Marketing - Turning Negative into Positive?1:09:39 - Will Markus Make Everyone Owed Money Whole?1:13:25 - Markus Flossmann and His Public Persona1:23:11 - Will Future Customers Actually Care About Any of This?1:25:42 - YT Future Hurdles1:33:07 - The Christopher Walken Jeffsy Video1:41:27 - Bike Culture vs. Tech Bro CultureThank you to FOX | Maxxis Tires | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line
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1:45:38
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1:45:38
Will Hard MTB League Change Things?
This Inside Line podcast explores how mountain biking's newest competitive event, Hard MTB League, has the potential to change the sport. Vital Content Director, Shawn Spomer, met up with Braydon Bringhurst and Adam Pishl, the two visionaries behind the League, two weeks after its inaugural invitational near Boise, Idaho. Topics include explaining what Hard MTB League is, reflecting on how the first event went, the challenges that were faced, the excitement of tight racing, how athletes are selected, what the future looks like, and most importantly, how community is being fostered through the series.If there are any questions or feedback about the Hard MTB League, Adam can be reached at [email protected] you to FOX | Maxxis Tires | Jenson USA for supporting The Inside Line
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1:09:11
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1:09:11